Love in human form
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
John 1:14, 16-18
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
These words are so familiar to us that perhaps we skip over them too easily, just as we can tend to relegate scenes of the nativity to the Children’s Christmas programs and thereby distance ourselves from this humble account. But we do well to pause and ponder these things deeply as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our God-in-flesh at Christmas. Because in the simplicity and humility and meekness of the child born in a shed, we get to see who our God is, and how deep His love is for us sinners.
Martin Luther preached, ‘There is such richness and goodness in this Nativity that if we should see and deeply understand, we should be dissolved in perpetual joy.’
And so, I want to encourage you to meditate on the great mystery of the incarnation, the nativity of our Lord, with child-like wonder and joy this year. In the Word becoming flesh, we have a powerful reminder of God’s determination not to leave us to our own sinful devices and ways that lead to despair. Instead, He came into our mess and joyless poverty and transformed it into something infinitely good and full of wonder.
Who would’ve thought that our rescue from sin and death would depend on a helpless baby, born in the humblest of surroundings and with scandal hanging over His head? And yet that is how God works. He doesn’t stand far off. He doesn’t shun us due to our sin or turn away because of our shame. Instead, He sends His only begotten Son to be born of a virgin in the lowliest of circumstances, and in Him we see the fullness of God dwelling bodily. God with us, Immanuel. God who is for us. God who saves us. And He comes to us in the miracle of a baby that we may truly know Him and His love for us. That we may approach Him with confidence and without fear. A baby born in a shed, destined for a cross that you might receive forgiveness and life in His name.
You might think there’s not a lot to say about the nativity that you don’t already know. Martin Luther would disagree. It’s reported that he often preached for up to a month on the nativity and never failed to proclaim joy and hope to his hearers. Here’s a snippet from one of his sermons…
Let us, then, meditate upon the Nativity just as we see it happening in our own babies. I would not have you contemplate the deity of Christ, the majesty of Christ, but rather his flesh. Look upon the baby Jesus. Divinity may terrify man. Inexpressible majesty will crush him. That is why Christ took on our humanity, save for sin, that he should not terrify us but rather that with love and favour he should console and confirm. Behold Christ lying in the lap of his young mother, still a virgin. What can be sweeter than the Babe, what more lovely than the mother! What fairer than her youth! … Look at the Child, knowing nothing. Yet all that is belongs to him, that your conscience should not fear but take comfort in him.
Doubt nothing. Watch him springing in the lap of the maiden. Laugh with him. Look upon this Lord of Peace and your spirit will be at peace. See how God invites you in many ways. He places before you a babe with whom you may take refuge. You cannot fear him, for nothing is more appealing to man than a babe. Are you frightened? Then come to him, lying in the lap of the fairest and sweetest maid. You will see how great is the divine goodness, which seeks above all else that you should not despair.
Trust him! Trust him! Here is the Child in whom is salvation. To me there is no greater consolation given to mankind than this, that Christ became man, a child, a babe, playing in the lap and at the breasts of his most gracious mother. Who is there whom this sight would not comfort? Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience, and guilt, if you come to judge this gurgling Babe and believe that he is come, not to judge you, but to save (1).
May God grant you a joy filled and blessed Christmas as you look upon this gurgling baby and believe that He has indeed come to save you.
Rev Dr Matt Anker
President, Lutheran Mission-Australia
This devotion is the text from Pastor Matt’s Christmas Address, which you can watch on our YouTube channel.
(1) Martin Luther's Christmas Book, ed. Roland Bainton, Augsburg, Minneapolis, copyright 1948 W L Jenkins, reproduced with permission of The Westminster Press.